Belay Church Podcast

In week two of our Ecclesiastes series, Paul Durbin walks us through chapters three and four, unpacking four things in every human heart: a sense of eternity, a deep craving for justice, a struggle with sin, and a longing for relationship. These inner realities are more than quirks of being human—they're signposts pointing us straight to God. When we stop ignoring them and start following where th...

Greg Seymour kicks off a series through Ecclesiastes by unpacking the Hebrew word hevel—often translated "meaningless," but really closer to vapor, smoke, or breath. Life is real and tangible, yet it slips through our fingers just as quickly as it comes. Greg walks us through the teacher's thought experiments on pleasure, wealth, and wisdom, and honestly shares his own year of wrestling with the h...

In this message, Pastor Paul Durbin returns to the relationship series with the one skill he says he left out—love. Drawing from John 1:14, he unpacks what it means that Jesus came "full of grace and truth," and offers a working definition of love: relating to others from the intersection of grace and truth, neither diluted to make room for the other, each expressed to its fullest extent. Using a...

In this final message from the book of Jonah, Pastor Paul Durbin walks us through the seven heart adjustments God is inviting each of us to make. Using a backpack illustration from a recent hike near Aspen, Paul shows how the same care we take to fit a pack to our body is the care God takes to shape our hearts. From perspective to mission, this message reminds us that Jonah isn't really a story ab...

In week three of the Jonah series, Pastor Paul walks us through Jonah chapter 3 and highlights how God is a speaking God who invites us to respond. He unpacks the Hebrew word hafach—which can mean either "demolished" or "turned upside down"—and shows how Nineveh chose transformation over destruction. Paul reminds us that God gives second chances, reroutes our missteps, and always keeps His word. T...

Pastor Paul Durbin walks us into Jonah chapter 2, where a rebellious prophet finds himself in the belly of a fish—and discovers that the pit is exactly where God does His best work. Using real-life whale stories, a scary swim in the Blue Hole, and honest moments from his own marriage, Paul reminds us that God has power over the deep, is present in the deep, and specializes in rescuing people who'v...

Pastor Paul Durbin opens a new series in the book of Jonah, walking us through chapter one and the story of a prophet who knew exactly what God wanted him to do—and ran the other way. Paul reminds us that God still invites regular, rebellion-prone people like us to partner with Him in His work, and that saying yes always beats running away. Through Jonah's storm, the sailors' fear, and Peter's con...

In this closing message from Colossians, Pastor Paul Durbin walks Belay'ers through the final verses of Paul's letter—the part most of us skip (like movie credits). But hidden in those names are seven roles that make a church thrive: testimony teller, unity bringer, relationship restorer, prayer warrior, faithful healer, helpful host, and mission completer. Paul invites us to picture the credits r...

In this message, Pastor Paul Durbin walks us through Colossians 4:2-6, unpacking four words that spell out P.A.C.E.—Pray, Act, Converse, and Everyone. Drawing from his recent trip to Morocco and a nail-biting layover in Paris, Paul reminds us that following Jesus takes intentional pace. Just as Jesus resolutely set his face toward Jerusalem, we're called to live with that same sense of purpose—pra...

In this heartfelt message, Patty Durbin walks us through the life of Joseph and shows how God stays close, shapes character, and works good even in the darkest seasons. Drawing from her own story of growing up as an outsider in a broken home, Patty invites us to expect trouble, trust God's presence, worship through hard work, and adopt a kingdom perspective that sees setbacks as soil for something...

In this message, Daniel Ziesing walks us through the Beatitudes in Matthew 5 and reframes what it really means to be "blessed." Rather than treating blessing as a Christian buzzword or a list of good things we hope God will hand us, Daniel shows how Jesus is describing the good life—a life of flourishing that flows from being poor in spirit, mournful over sin, gentle, hungry for righteousness, mer...

In week six of the Colossians series, Pastor Paul Durbin walks us through Colossians 3, where the Apostle Paul lays out what comes next after we've been raised with Christ. Using stories from hiking, camping, and a little dog named Perry, Paul unpacks four practical next steps every follower of Jesus can take: pursuing heaven's perspective, putting off old hindrances, putting on Christ's qualities...

In this fifth message from the Book of Colossians, Pastor Paul Durbin walks us through Colossians 2:8–23 and uncovers four sneaky "hijackers" that try to pull our faith away from Jesus. Using a memorable story of a bait-and-switch taxi ride in China, Paul reminds us that in Christ we already have fullness, newness, and forgiveness—and we don't need anything more added to that. He challenges us to...

In part two of his teaching on Christ-like maturity, Pastor Paul Durbin walks Belay'ers through Colossians 1:24–2:7 to unpack three more deliberate practices that grow us into spiritually mature followers of Jesus. He shows how spiritual discernment, continual growth, and overflowing thankfulness move us past fine-sounding arguments and shallow faith into a deeply rooted life in Christ. Using the...

Pastor Paul Durbin explores what it means to pursue real spiritual maturity as a follower of Jesus, drawing from Colossians 1:24–2:7 and his own journey learning Mandarin in China. He challenges Belay’ers to move beyond surface-level faith by embracing four practical practices: joyful suffering, willing service, strenuous contending, and holding on to our hope in Jesus. With stories, honest wrestl...

In this message from Colossians 1:15-23, Pastor Paul Durbin walks us through what many scholars call the most Christ-centered passage in the New Testament. Paul unpacks eight powerful reasons Jesus insists on being the center of our lives—not a welcome guest, not an add-on, but the absolute nucleus around which everything else revolves. From Jesus being the visible image of the invisible God, to t...

In this opening message of a six-week series through Colossians, Pastor Paul Durbin walks us through the first 14 verses of Paul's letter and asks a simple but powerful question: how does God's work keep growing in us after we've believed? Drawing from Paul's prayer for the Colossian church, Paul highlights five growth areas the Holy Spirit wants to develop in every follower of Jesus—clarity, stre...

Paul Durbin teaches from Psalm 119 and asks the same question David asked thousands of years ago: how can a person stay on the path of purity? Purity is not just about avoiding obvious sin; it is a life of honesty, integrity, holiness, and character, where we have nothing to hide and our lives honor God and people. Paul walks through six practical ways to stay on that path: prioritize the Word of...

In this message, Pastor Paul Durbin walks us through 1 Corinthians 16:1-2 and uncovers six surprisingly practical standards for giving. Drawing from Paul's words to a self-absorbed Corinthian church, he shows how generosity pulls us out of ourselves and into God's mission. With honesty, humor, and stories from his own life, Paul invites Belay'ers to see giving not as a burden, but as a beautiful h...

In this message, Kevan Ho walks us through a sweeping survey of the first half of the book of Acts, showing how the early church was born, shaped, and scattered—all in the rhythm of God's mission. From the confrontation of the gospel to a community marked by devotion, from facing real problems to being sent out by unnamed everyday people, Kevan invites us to find ourselves in this ongoing story. T...

In this message, Rudolf Kabutz invites Belay’ers to see global missions not as something far away or only for “missionaries,” but as a calling Jesus brings right into our everyday lives. Through stories from South Africa, the Horn of Africa, Trans World Radio, and John 4, Rudolf shows how Jesus crosses boundaries to meet the Samaritan woman with living water—and then sends her back into her own co...

In this heartfelt message from Matthew 11:28–30, Pastor Favour Ibom invites us to lay down the heavy backpacks we've been hauling through life—regrets, fears, expectations, and pressures—and accept Jesus' invitation to true rest. Using the picture of a hiker who keeps picking up "souvenirs" along the trail until the journey becomes a burden, Pastor Favour walks us through four simple steps using t...

In this Resurrection Sunday message, Pastor Paul Durbin explores the Chinese character for righteousnessand how it beautifully illustrates the gospel story. Drawing from his years in China, Paul shows how this ancient picture language reveals the heart of the Easter story—a lamb (Jesus) covering “me” (the sinner). Through Scripture and story, we see that righteousness isn’t something we earn or ma...

In this Easter message, Pastor Paul Durbin teaches from Matthew 28 and reminds us that the resurrection is more than a moment—it’s proof that Jesus can be trusted. He keeps His promises just as He said. He welcomes our doubts because some still doubted. And He never leaves us for He is with us always. Even when faith feels shaky, Jesus remains faithful, powerful, and present.

In this Palm Sunday message, Pastor Paul Durbin reminds Belay’ers that Jesus didn’t just enter Jerusalem as a teacher or miracle worker—He entered as King. Much like a soldier reporting for duty, Jesus fully stepped into His role, knowing what was ahead. Pastor Paul explores how we respond to King Jesus today: by surrendering our stuff, giving our worship, and fixing our eyes on Him. Jesus doesn’t...